Cold Space
by Verimol
Summary: Bulma's new invention is very intriguing but potentially lethal. She asks Goku to test it. He doesn't come back alone.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

He didn't know how he got on the spaceship. Of the whole story, that was the detail that disturbed him the most. He'd been wandering around its cold, steel-covered corridors for a while, but no matter how much he raked his brain, he still could not figure it out.

He wasn't even sure it was a spaceship, now that he came to think of that. He'd just assumed it was one, since it vaguely resembled Freeza's. Not that he had a long time to study it, what with having to escape from an exploding Planet Namek. Okay, not getting distracted Goku. You have to get out of here one way or another.

The corridor he was into was badly-lit and apparently endless. Right, left, left, right, right, left... When he finally reached a door, he had to actually stop and check it was real. It took him another second to figure out how to open it; he was used to doors with handles, not buttons.

He entered a wide room. What hit him immediately was the wall that wasn't a wall at all, but a glass panel showing the dark and cold depth of space. Goku was so entranced with it that he almost didn't notice the lone figure semi-hidden in a dark corner of the control room. He had been gazing at the stars for hours, but when he heard the door sliding open he'd turn to stare at the intruder.

Finally, their eyes met and they both froze.

The lone figure exhaled a breathy laugh. "It seems I have finally gone insane", he whispered, shaking his head in what could be amusement or desperation.

Goku was working on his own theories. He wasn't too fond of the insanity one, so he decided to settle on the good ol' "I must be dreaming". Now, if only he could wake up...

"So, what are you? A hallucination or a ghost?", the shadow asked conversationally.

Goku blinked. "What?".

The figure sighed. "My first social interaction in centuries is with a deficient peasant. How very fitting", he complained aloud.

Goku blinked again. First social interaction... in centuries?  
"Look, I don't know what game you're playing, but I won't stand here and let you insult me. Because you were insulting me, right?".

Thin, dark lips stretched into a ghostly smile. "Oh dear, an impudent silly monkey. Again. I think I've just felt a wave of nostalgia".

Goku's eyes narrowed dangerously. Of all the villains he fought against it had to be this one.

"Seriously, though, I truly am curious. Why you, why now? Why would my mind conjure up _your_ image? Are you a message from my subconscious?", the figure insisted.

Goku said nothing in reply. He was wondering whether slapping him-self would wake him up faster...

Suddenly, an image hit him. He was standing in front of a door. No, not really a door. More like an arch. A steely, mechanical arch...

"... not allow the product of my very own mind to ignore me! Pay attention when I talk to you!".

The Saiyan's concentration broke. "Huh?".

"I said...".

Goku was once again distracted by the strange images on the back of his head. The arch was now glowing and he had the distinct impression that other people were there as well. Were they speaking to him? He seemed to recall instructions. "We will give you 10 minutes, not a second more. 10 minutes and then we bring you home".

How long he'd been here for?

"You may be a bit confused when you get... well, wherever you get. We won't know for sure until you test the machine, but there shouldn't be any dangerous side-effects".

Kami, he was definitely feeling confused! Who was he talking to? He really should...

His chin was grabbed roughly. A cold hand brought his face level with even colder eyes.

"I. Will. Not. Be. Ignored".

In that very moment, Goku remembered. Bulma, requesting his help to test a very intriguing and potentially lethal invention; him-self, accepting enthusiastically the new challenge; doctor Briefs, warning him that they would give him only ten minutes to explore... Oh Kami...

He frantically clawed at the hand that was still clutching his chin. "Let go! You have to let go!".

A nasty little smirk answered his pleas. "Or what?".

Too late.

A loud sucking noise, a sudden sense of void and a vortex of white light later, they were no longer facing the blackness of space but a crowd of concerned faces. Nobody spoke.

Goku felt nauseous. White lights danced in front of his eyes and that damn hand was clutching his chin so hard that he was sure it was about to break. He couldn't take it any more. His eyes rolled inside his head and he blacked out.

Seeing their friend slumping to the ground unfroze the silent bystanders. They immediately surrounded him, screaming in concern, calling for a doctor, asking him questions... It was all a little too much for the silent villain, whose last encounter with sentient life took place exactly 458 years prior. It didn't end well.

He frantically extended his mind, searching the planet for something he could use, and it was with great surprise that he found it. He latched onto it and ITed away from the ruckus. No one saw him go.

* * *

Vegeta had been in the wasteland for a while. Strangely enough, he wasn't in the mood for training and was content to stare off into the distance. He felt betrayed. He'd known that Bulma had just completed one of her contraptions, hell, she'd been talking about it non stop for months. He'd also known that, since nobody could predict what the outcome would be, she wanted the machine tested by someone who could take care of themselves. He immediately assumed she'd ask him. After all, he was the living and breathing definition of "able to take care of him-self" and he lived in her own bloody home. She asked Kakarott.

-You don't have the best of records when it comes to helping-, a part of his brain argued.

-She could have asked me!-, another retorted, -I would have said yes!-.

-Go back and tell her, then-.

-I won't go back and beg her, I certainly don't need her pity!-.

-You'll have to go back, eventually-.

-Is that so?-.

-Stop being stupid-.

-If I'm stupid, then you're a...-.

The other part of his brain never found out what it was, for at that very moment _he_ appeared. Right in front of him. Out of thin air, as if HFIL had suddenly vomited him out. They stared at each other incredulously.

"How the hell did you get here?!", Vegeta screamed menacingly.

The other simply looked at him, too surprised to speak. Then, he hesitantly raised a hand and moved it towards the Saiyan. Vegeta steeled him-self for an attack and was therefore shocked when the limb merely came to rest on his cheek. It was so cold that it almost made him jump.

"You're alive...", he heard the hated voice whisper.

What?

"You're alive", the monster repeated, "How? I killed you".

What?!

"Have I really gone crazy? First the stupid monkey and now you. You must be a hallucination. But you feel so real. So warm...".

The Prince wouldn't admit it even under torture, but he was a little spooked. The monster sounded even crazier than normal! He started to pull away, only to realise that he couldn't; the second he'd moved, the other's tail had woven around his form, trapping his arms at his sides.

"How dare you! Release me this instant, Freeza!".

The Arcosian sighed in relief. Finally something familiar! He could deal with an enraged Vegeta in his sleep. With a smile blossoming on his lips, he slapped the struggling Prince.

Vegeta's outburst halted as the Saiyan looked at him outrageously. When he opened his mouth to start again, Freeza happily slapped him again.

"Are you going to be quiet now?", the tyrant asked in a pleasant tone.

Vegeta opened his mouth. Freeza raised his hand.

"No". Slap!

They studied each other for a minute. Then, "What the hell are you doing here?", Vegeta asked in a low voice.

Freeza stared blankly at him for a second before admitting, "I have no idea where here is".

"What?!".

"I was on my ship minding my own business when your stupid monkey friend appeared and brought me here".

"Kakarott? But he was supposed to be testing Bulma's invention...".

Oh. Oh... Damn!

Freeza smiled seeing the Prince's horrified face. "Don't tell me. Some kind of interdimensional portal?".

"How the hell did you...".

"Come now, my dear boy, it really doesn't take a lot of imagination. Besides, were we still in my reality, I wouldn't be talking to you now".

Vegeta sneered. "Just because you killed me once...".

"Twice".

"What?".

"I killed you twice. You came back to life after the first time thanks to the Namekian Dragon...".

"Then I was transported to Earth and Kakarott did away with you in his Super Saiyan form".

-Well, sort of-, Vegeta amended mentally.

Freeza cocked his head to one side. "Is that what happened in this reality? Interesting. Well, in _mine_ I intercepted the little green maggot before it could voice the second wish and... persuaded it to request eternal life and youth on my behalf. Then, _I_ did away with Goku in his Super Saiyan form".

The tyrant's eyes veiled as he reminisced.

"It was glorious. The desperate look in his eyes when he realised that he couldn't beat me, no matter what he did. The pain etched on his features when I pierced his heart. Delicious! And you! The bold hero! Trying to help the legendary Super Saiyan defeat the evil overlord. When he died, I thought you were going to cry again! Didn't even try to run when I got to you".

The tail coiled more tightly around the Saiyan, who almost didn't notice caught up as he was in the monster's tale. It was both sickening and captivating, hearing about the death he could've experienced.

"Our second time was even more enjoyable than the first. It was over much more quickly, but there was a better atmosphere. No irritating insects, just the two of us. It felt more... intimate, I suppose. A beam to the heart wasn't going to cut it. So I strangled you, with my bare hands. Saw the light go out of your eyes. Slowly. I savoured _every_ moment...".

When a white hand rose in the direction of his throat, Vegeta decided he'd heard enough. He ascended with a roar and freed him-self from the tyrant's grip. The Arcosian's eyes widened as he took in the awing view.

"Why... You too?".

"Did you have any doubts?", Vegeta smirked, "Now, go back to the hell that vomited you out! BIG BANG ATTACK!".

The wave of blue energy rushed toward the petrified villain and completely engulfed him. One great explosion later, all that was left were cinders.

Vegeta laughed merrily. "Yes! Take that, you disgusting lizard! I shall thank the woman and the clown for giving me the chance to...".

A white, cold hand appeared out of thin air and wrapped tightly around his throat. He was mid-speech and hadn't managed to take any air into his lungs. He helplessly gazed into dead red eyes as he started to choke.

"Tell me, my dear", Freeza whispered sweetly, "What part of "I'm immortal" is causing you trouble? Is it because it's a long word? Would you like me to explain the concept? Well, I must say that denying reality is a skill you mastered very young. I'm the strongest, I'm not your slave, daddy didn't abandon me, blah, blah, blah... It was funny, until it became annoying".

The tyrant noted that the gloved hand's grip on his forearm was weakening; however, he was too lost in progressively duller green eyes to do anything about it.

"Why were you so ridiculously stubborn? There's no shame in kneeling before a god. Even your oaf of a father understood that. Not you. Not the proud, spoiled, naughty little prince. Stupid little thing. You could have accomplished so much if only...".

Freeza cut him-self out. The hand clutching his arm had fallen down lifelessly; the eyes staring into his were no longer green or focused. He sighed and released the Prince, whose body started to fall from the sky. Freeza easily caught it and studied the Saiyan's feature. Air flew between parted lips. The Prince was still alive.

Freeza nodded, satisfied. Saiyans were very resilient. However, he should be more careful or he'll end up killing him by mistake. Like he did with King Cold. He hadn't meant to do that. Cooler, on the other hand, had been on his hit list for a very long time.

**Yes, Freeza can use IT. I'll explain later, I swear!**

**Thank you for reading and do tell me what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

Freeza stared helplessly at the control panel of the ship. How was it supposed to function? It wasn't a model he was used to...

A nagging little part of his brain told him that he probably used to be used to that model but he'd forgotten. -Ridiculous. It's not like I'm getting any older-, he thought with amusement.

He'd come to Planet Freeza 56 (or was it Freeza 64?) following an energy signature that he felt was familiar. What he found was a medic, a sort of reptilian creature he thought he may have seen before. It gaped at him as if it'd seen a ghost. Well, it was not exactly wrong considering, but still. Rude. He felt entirely justified in doing away with it. He'd made a bit of a mess, but blood red suited the sterile white walls. Gave a touch of life to the place.

Of course the thing's screams alerted other creatures inside the base. In seconds, he was surrounded by soldiers of every shape and colour. They gaped, but were intelligent enough to kneel before him; that granted them a few more seconds of existence. He had to exterminate them. Their power level was pathetic and so were they. Had he really employed such sad life forms before?

He concentrated once again on the control panel. Maybe if he pushed the yellow button... Or was it the light green one? He turned towards Vegeta's still unconscious form; he probably knew.

He observed the Saiyan for a bit; his armour was partly soaked with the blood of the insects and bruises of a lovely shade of purple were forming around his throat. He felt a sense of dejà vu and had to check that the boy was still breathing.

Pity he didn't have a tail any more. Pulling it was a very effective way of waking him up, in his experience. Very entertaining, but Vegeta tended to be that way. He was always running around, shouting, threatening, fighting. Could never understand when to quit. Always convinced he was invincible, always underestimating his adversaries, always putting on a mortally offended face when he unsurprisingly fell short. So stupid. So naïve. So wonderfully lively.

" .Ta", he quietly lilted, "Wake up and entertain me".

The Prince didn't stir. Freeza huffed. Time to try method #2.

Sharp black nails pierced a soft thigh. Vegeta screamed and jolted awake. Freeza smiled; #2 never failed.

"Oh, lovely, you're up", the tyrant remarked sweetly.

Angry black eyes glared at him. Then, they turned to take in the surroundings.

"Where the hell are we?!".

Freeza felt his face go blank. "Freeza 56. I think".

Vegeta's eyes zeroed on his face. "You _think_?".

"It's not important. Now...".

"How can you not know where we are?!".

"I wasn't looking for this place specifically. I merely followed a life force I thought was familiar. I hoped it might lead me to a spaceship and it did. Now I need to...".

"You followed a life force? You mean you can use Instant Transmission?".

"Oh? You know of that technique as well?".

"Yes I do. What I want to know is where _you_ learnt it!".

The blank expression took camp again on Freeza's face.

"On a planet. It doesn't matter which one, I destroyed it. Its inhabitants were useless. Now...".

"You don't remember".

Freeza paused mid-speech and looked at the Saiyan. Vegeta had spoken very quietly and had an undefinable look on his face. It seemed... Unsure? Suspicious? Calculating?

"No, I don't", the tyrant enunciated slowly, as if speaking to a three years old, "but as I've said it's irrelevant. That planet is no more. Now, be a good boy and start this ship".

Vegeta sneered. "I don't take orders from you. Start it yourself! Actually, I'm surprised you haven't ordered one of the idiots of the base to do that".

"Well, unfortunately for them, they were as useless as the inhabitants of the aforementioned planet".

"Then you do it! Or have you forgotten how to do that as well...".

Before he knew it, the Prince was slammed against a wall. Slightly dazed, he touched his cheek and his white glove came away reddened by blood. Freeza's tail undulated slightly, while its owner observed Vegeta with his arms crossed on his chest.

"As I've told you before", the sickeningly sweet voice drawled, "I really can't stand insubordination. Now, you can either do what I say or you can stay here while I go blow up Earth and the maggots who live there".

Vegeta fought not to let any emotion show on his features. "And I should care because?".

Freeza's smile was thin and nasty. "Too slow, dear boy, too slow. You are like an open book".

"Shut up! I will stop you!".

"No you won't. I need just one second to IT there and no more than a minute to annihilate the whole mudball. I can breathe in space, I won't even need to touch its surface. They literally will not know what hit them".

Vegeta's instincts were screaming at him to jump the bastard and rip his throat out but he suppressed them; if he wanted his second home to survive, he needed to use the brain. What could the lizard possibly want? He had to remember that this wasn't the same tyrant he'd grown up under, even though the two were practically identical.

"Why would you bother? In your reality you obtained eternal life and youth; you probably rule the Universe! You should be moving worlds to go back, and yet you seem intent to waste your time here. I bet your daddy is really missing you. Don't want to make him sad, do you?".

Freeza remained impassible. Then, "I don't think that will be an issue. Father passed away. He had... an unpleasant accident".

"An accident?".

Freeza's tail was swishing restlessly behind his back. "Oh yes. He was accidentally dismembered and then vaporized with his ship. A tragedy".

The tyrant lazily observed that Vegeta had once again that unreadable expression, only much more serious.

"Accidentally dismembered and vaporized?", the Prince asked in a low voice, "And who accidentally did it?".

Freeza sighed. "Aren't we perceptive. You are right in your implication, I did it. However, it was an accident, I didn't mean to do that. I simply... lost control for a while. He was being so unreasonable! _I_ was the perfect son! I got control of the majority of the North quadrant, I gained eternal life and youth, I became stronger than ever! What was the point of keeping Cooler around?".

Vegeta watched silently as Freeza became increasingly angry as his rambling progressed.

"I thought he'd thank me for ridding him of a useless insect! On the contrary! He _scolded_ me. Like a naughty child. "Family is family", he said. "You were disrespectful", he said. And I was _livid_. How dared he! I was the best! I am the best! I will forever be the best! So I showed him".

Vegeta was still silently mulling over what he'd heard. Cooler and Freeza... well, no love lost there. His father, however... Everyone knew Freeza adored him. He always spoke highly of him and his opinion was the one that mattered the most. For him to murder him in cold blood like that...

"So what? Have you decided to abandon your empire as a form of repentance?", Vegeta asked snidely.

Freeza seemed to ponder something. Suddenly, his expression became inspired and then elated.

"Oh I know!". The tyrant sauntered to the control panel and, under the Saiyan's mystified gaze, pushed a purple button.

"Launch sequence initialised", a smooth artificial voice informed them, "Launch in 5... 4... 3...".

"What? No!", Vegeta hastily gathered energy in his palm and prepared to blast a hole in the ship. However, his wrist was grabbed and the blast diverted against a white chest. Freeza smiled.

"2... 1...".

The ship was catapulted into space at an incredible speed. Vegeta watched with increasing anger and desperation as the planet became a dot in the distance.

"You bastard!".

The tyrant released his wrist and dodged the punch that immediately flew towards his face. With the smile still painted on his lips, he started to walk towards a round window.

"Do find something to hold on to".

"What?".

Freeza opened the window and breathed deeply. He sighed happily and grabbed the flailing Saiyan as he flew by him, sucked outside the ship by the difference of pressure. He dragged the Prince back into the ship and plastered him against his chest, his arm like an iron band around his waist.

"Stupid boy", the tyrant whispered affectionately.

He prepared a blast and, an almost forgotten laugh surging through his lips, threw the Death Ball toward the still receding planet. The explosion was so violent that three more worlds disappeared into it.

Freeza closed the window, still chuckling happily.

"To answer your question", he murmured to the dazed Prince, "I really don't mind being here. My reality got a little... lonely".

* * *

King Kai was startled awake. A massive amount of energy had just been discharged, destroying four planets in the North Galaxy. With mounting concern, he concentrated and tried to vi27sualise what happened. He gasped. Time to call Goku.

**I hope you enjoyed it! Thank you for reading and let me know what you think!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

_The planet was ridiculously small. Its atmosphere was almost non-existent and as a consequence vegetation was practically null. It had no natural resources and for the luckless inhabitants technology was as real as a dream. Saying that their life was harsh was like saying that Arcos was a bit cold. Quite fitting to compare the two people; they both had to survive in impossible conditions, thus becoming incredibly powerful. Lord Freeza was assured by enemies and underlings alike that they were a worthy challenge for the new master of the Universe. Alas, it was not so._

"_Three days", Lord Freeza calmly told the serious faces of the planet's leaders, "You have three days to prepare for war. During that time, none of you will be harmed unless caught trying to leave the planet. Gather your strongest warriors, fortify your cities, pray to your gods... I don't care what you do, just know that in three days I will be back to test you"._

"_You and what army?", one of them asked snidely._

_Freeza smiled. "No army. I will fight you alone"._

_The warrior laughed. "Your puny self against our best warriors? That'll be no war. That'll be slaughter!"._

_The Arcosian lord's smile was as cutting as a sword. "I have to agree"._

_Four days later, the planet was no more. They fought valiantly, that much Freeza was ready to concede, but in the end they were just insects unfit for survival in his proud Empire. And so were the inhabitants of the next planet he visited, and the one after that, and the one after that one. Millions and millions of planets populated with disgusting, crawling worms deserving nothing more than to be squished. Every time he thought of it, the Emperor felt nauseous. _

"Why worms?".

Freeza blinked. Gone were the wastelands of that desolate planet, instead his eyes were greeted by the neon-illuminated inside of a ship and the stars-showing round window he was standing in front of. He slightly turned his head to the side and spotted Vegeta, half hidden in a shadowy corner like a panther ready to pounce.

"I beg your pardon?".

"Why worms?", the Saiyan repeated, "You normally speak of insects. Or ants. Or my all-time favourite filth-sucking maggots. Why worms?".

The Arcosian pondered this. "I felt it was an excellent comparison. Was I...".

"Talking to yourself like a nutcase? Why, yes. You've never done so in my reality. Do you differ from the psycho I'm used to under this aspect or is this a recent development?".

"I don't know. Define recent".

Vegeta's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Why destroy them if they fought valiantly?", he finally asked, changing the subject. "Why not employ them as foot-soldiers, like you usually do with strong races? Did they refuse to submit?".

Freeza smiled at the barrage of questions. Of all the things he'd become deprived of in the course of centuries, conversation was the one he missed the most.

"Far from it. At the end of the fourth day, they _begged _me to let them become part of my empire. I obviously refused".

"Why?".

"Weren't you listening? They were weak and lost the fight".

"So? Had they won, you would have lost. I thought you liked having once-proud races grovel at your feet. After all, there is no shame in kneeling before a god, is there?".

The Arcosian arched an eyebrow. "My, a quote to the letter. Strange, you never seemed to listen to me in my reality. Do you differ from the stupid monkey I'm used to under this aspect or is this a recent development?".

The Prince slammed a hand against the steely wall. He opened his mouth as if to shout, then seemed to think better of it. The raised arm slung back against his side. His chest rose and fell in a couple of deep exhales. "You fought them yourself instead of sending your army to do the dirty work", he stated in an almost normal voice, "Why take time away from your busy schedule? Were you getting out of shape?".

"Keeping cool-headed? Why, it's almost clever. _Whatever_ happened to you? Anyway, I am in killer shape, I assure you, and my schedule is not as busy as it used to be. After all, I no longer have a time limit to enjoy my conquests...".

"_Why are you here, then_?!", Vegeta almost screamed, a throbbing vein on his forehead testifying how difficult it was to remain calm. "Why steal a bloody ship, destroy one of _your _planetsand drag me hell-knows where! Why not kill me, when you know perfectly well that the only thing stopping me from pummelling you to death is that I can't power up or I'll destroy the ship!".

"You can't pummel me to death", Freeza admonished, "I'm immortal".

"To hell with your immortality! To hell with you! You are not making any sense!". Carefulness thrown to the side, the Prince advanced, pointing an accusing finger against the Arcosian.

"Why steal a ship at all when you can IT?! Why are you not trying to go back to your reality? Why are you dragging me along for this ridiculous ride?!".

He was screaming in his face now, years and years of pent-up frustration and questions released in one go.

"Why did you have to drag me along in the first place! Wasn't taking my family enough! Wasn't my kingdom, my planet enough! Wasn't my life enough! What could you possibly still want! What have I left to give! _Why are you still here?!_".

Freeza simply stared at him. And remembered...

_He was never intended to meet the young Saiyan prince, of that he was absolutely sure. His father, the King of Vegetasei, had evaded all questions concerning the subject, sometimes going as far as testing the tyrant's patience. Freeza simply had to wonder why go under all that trouble for a mere child. Granted, if his sources were right the boy's power level was anything but shabby, but really now, it'd be years before he'd be able to take part in some serious action and longer still before he'd gain the experience a warrior needs. And when he did... What about it? He was never going to become a serious threat, was he? Not faced with a power as devastating as the Arcosian's. Why hide the boy? Were they expecting him to try and__ snatch him up__? Oh yes, running an empire as vast as half a galaxy left him with plenty of free time, he really needed to find someone to babysit or he'll die of boredom. Who did they take him for? Maybe he should just show them..._

"_What are you doing here?", someone asked imperiously. _

_Freeza's train of thought halted. Who dared..._

_He turned around, following the sound of the voice, and stopped, reconsidering his next move. It was a child; spying the royal symbol upon his armour, he concluded he was the child he'd been thinking of. He smiled gamely. _

"_Why, I could ask you the same question"._

_The small Prince (how old was the thing supposed to be? Three, four?) furrowed his eyebrows. "No you can't!", he piped up indignantly, "This is my palace, I can go wherever I want!"._

_Freeza resisted the urge to tell him "No, it's not, for your planet belongs to me and so does your palace", reasoning that it'd sound too childish. He opted for, "I am a guest of your father and he graciously consented", his words dripped with sarcasm, "__to me visiting__ his beautiful gardens"._

_The Prince studied him suspiciously. "What is your name then?"._

_The Arcosian lord started to bristle at the irreverent treatment. _

"_Oh, you may have heard of me from your father. I am Lord Freeza"._

_Far from being cowered, the child seemed to perk up at this. "You are Lord Freeza? I've heard of you! Everyone says you're really strong", the boy confided excitedly._

"_Imagine that"._

"_Not as strong as my father, though. He's the best, you know. I wouldn't fight against him if I were you"._

"_I 'll endeavour to keep that in mind". And to remind Vegeta of his position as soon as I see him._

"_Why aren't you calling me Your Highness?"._

_Lord Freeza felt his smile thin as irritation grew._

"_Once again, I could ask you the same question"._

"_But you're in my palace! So I should deserve more respect! If I were at your palace, I would call you Your Lordship, but we're not!"._

_The smile returned. _

"_An interesting reasoning. Your etiquette teacher must be very pleased with you"._

"_No, he's not! Yesterday I eavesdropped him while he spoke with Nappa and he said I'll make an awful diplomat!", the boy stated, seeming incredibly proud of him-self._

"_Did he? I can't think of why"._

"_Diplomacy is stupid", the child continued with the self-assurance of childhood, "Why do I have to be nice to someone I don't like? Besides, I wouldn't really be nice. I'd be pretending to be nice. Nah, if I don't like someone, I'll just blow them up"._

_The smile vanished entirely._

"_What if they are stronger than you?"._

_The Prince was apparently waiting for that very question, if the eagerness with which he replied was any indication._

"_Nobody will be stronger than me, because I'm going to be... the Legendary Super Saiyan!"._

_Freeza frowned._

"_The Legendary Super Saiyan?"._

"_You don't know of the Legendary Super Saiyan?!"._

_The Lord ransacked his brain. His sources mentioned something of the sort, he was sure of it..._

"_Oh, yes. The myth according to which every thousand years a Saiyan with the ability to undergo an unspecified transformation will appear and release their destructive energy on the universe", he recited, unconcerned._

_The boy looked affronted. "No! That's not it at all!"._

_For the first time in the day, Freeza felt unsure. He refused to let it show. "I am quite certain that..."._

"_You're telling it all wrong!"._

"_Extensive research has been done and..."._

"_It has been done wrong!"._

_Freeza hesitated. It wasn't often that his researchers made a mistake, but it happened. If this Super Saiyan was something more than a myth... He gave up._

"_What is the real story, pray tell?"._

_The child smiled excitedly. "You may wish to sit down", he graciously began, pointing at a stone seat, "For it will take a while to tell it properly"._

"_I really don't have time for..."._

_The child crossed his arms, a deep scowl on his face. He was ridiculously cute._

"_Fine. But no more than five minutes", the Arcosian Lord stated, standing to illustrate his point._

"_Hn. So, a long time ago..."._

_Half an hour later, the Prince's story was interrupted in the middle of a most detailed and most impossible fighting scene by the sudden arrival of an extremely distressed bald brute accompanied by an even more anguished King Vegeta. The boy was immediately ushered away by the first ("But I haven't got to the best part yet!"), while the latter spoke with Freeza. Of what, the Arcosian was unable to say, for he was too concentrated on the retreating child to listen. Five minutes, he'd said. But how could he have stopped him when the five minutes were up and the Prince was still talking? Oh, he wasn't interested in the story itself, which was nothing more than refined garbage, but in the storyteller. So passionate, so artful, so mesmerizing. So entertaining. _

_Lord Freeza had a busy schedule. He had to prove his father that he was better than his brother. He had planets to conquer and people to exterminate. He had infinite things to do in a painfully finite time. Time was of essence. Time could not be wasted. Time was everything. But for a delicious half an hour... He'd forgot of everything. He'd been free of Time. For a delicious half an hour, there'd only been him and the child. Did he knew other stories? Had he ever seen real battle? How would a normally boring mission report sound coming out of those lips? How would the marvels of distant planets be described? He hadn't seen any real action in years, too absorbed in administrating his expanding empire. It had been fine for the most part, but sometimes he just craved... No time for that... If he could just experience it through another... Send him on missions, make him see the universe up close and then drag him back, always drag him back to hear his stories... Live the life he was too busy to have, by making another live it for him... Yes... Yes._

_He held up a hand. The chattering stopped. He looked up and smiled sweetly at the now silent King._

"_Let's talk of your son"._

With a blink, Freeza came back to the present. Only seconds had passed, but that child was now an adult, glaring at him with murder in his eyes and waiting for answers.

"Well...".

Your family was in the way. Your stupid father wouldn't give you up without a fight and your mother went as far as threatening a war if I didn't leave you alone. Besides, you would have insisted to visit them and I couldn't allow that. They had to go.

"... I...".

I couldn't allow you to become King, could I? You'd have to reign (not rule, dear, ruling is for me and me alone) and waste your time on that desert of a planet. How could you entertain me if you weren't around? No, your planet had to disappear as well.

"... just...".

It wasn't your life. The life your father had in mind for you would have been terribly boring; the boy who spoke of battle with such passion would have never been content to spend his days sitting on a throne, I knew it. So I graciously allowed you to live one of the lives I wanted. You weren't grateful, you spoiled brat, no, you wanted "your life", you wanted to "make your own decisions". Well, my darling, since you didn't like that life, I chose to avoid boring arguments and leave you with no life at all. No need to thank me.

"... felt like it".

His face. Oh gods, his face! Like a child who's just seen his puppy run down by a car! Oh, that is too much...

The tyrant's mad laugh seemed to bombard Vegeta from all sides. His whole life taken away... because the bastard had felt it was a good idea at the time... and now he... he...

Rage erupted. With a roar, he hit the Arcosian as hard as he could, sending him flying against the opposite wall. He didn't stop laughing. Vegeta was on him in a second and hit him again. And again. And again. He didn't stop until the white body became red and mangled and unrecognisable. Freeza didn't stop laughing until his respiratory organs filled with blood and choked him.

It took a few minutes for the Dragon Balls spell to work its magic and repair the broken corpse. Vegeta knelt on the floor, all energies spent, a strange numbness overcoming him. He'd wanted to change the course of the ship, to find a smaller vessel and escape, to throw the hideous body into the depth of space... but, like in his nightmares, the monster was immortal and could reach him wherever he went.

He heard the body sit up and venomous red eyes met his.

"Go back to your empire". He was no longer sure whether it was an order or a plea.

"No".

"_Why the hell not?!_".

The monster gave a small chuckle, which turned into a sigh.

"I have no empire to go back to".

**Anyone wants to guess what happened to Freeza's empire? **

**Thanks for reading and let me know what you think!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

Goku couldn't keep up with what was going on. Call him stupid (he knew people did, he might be stupid but he wasn't an idiot) but it really was too much for him. The trip to the alternative reality and his however brief brush with Freeza really did a number on him; according to Bulma, he'd been out for a whole day. Chichi took it in stride, going as far as saying that it could have been a lot worse. For reasons he wasn't sure he understood, that statement left a bad taste in his mouth.

His friends were worried, though. They almost didn't wait for him to be fully conscious before bombarding him with questions: how are you feeling, what did you see, didn't you understand the instructions we gave you... He really wanted to answer, but still felt very confused. And Bulma, who was the most enthusiastic questioner, wasn't in the best of moods since Vegeta had apparently disappeared on "one of his sulking training sessions". Ironically, thinking of the grumpy Saiyan triggered a memory and Goku caught a pause in the barrage of questions to ask one of his own.

"Where is Freeza?".

There was an embarrassed silence. Krillin braved it.

"Well, you fainted and... we called for the doctors so there was a lot of confusion... and he was really sneaky, didn't even uttered a word... well, what I'm getting at here is that... he escaped..".

"He what?!".

"Hey, don't get excited now! The doctors said you were supposed to avoid stress! Anyway, no reason to get worried. I mean, we've got you, what can Freeza do against a Super Saiyan 3?".

The others laughed, but Goku wasn't really paying attention. He was trying to sense Freeza but to his frustration he found that he simply couldn't. Maybe the "alternative Freeza" knew how to conceal his ki? That didn't bide well.

The hero sighed. He really didn't want to involve Vegeta into this, but he might have no choice. The Prince knew how the tyrant thought, he'd probably know what his next moves would be. He reached out with his mind to the wastelands Vegeta preferred for his training, but was met with nothing. He expanded his searching circle. Wider. Wider. Wider, dammit!

He opened his eyes.

"Why is Vegeta off-planet?" he asked to Bulma, a bit harsher than he would have liked.

The woman blinked. "He isn't!", she replied in a shrill voice, a clear sign that she was offended, "All my spaceships are here and he told me him-self that he was going to that stupid wastelands!".

"Well, he isn't there. Scratch that, he isn't on Earth!".

"He might be hiding his ki", Krillin suggested.

"Why would he do that if he was training?".

"Maybe he's not training", Yamcha snorted, "Maybe he really is sulking and doesn't want to be interrupted".

Goku wasn't convinced. He closed his eyes and concentrated. He reached out with his mind. Farther. Farther. Farther. Far... Hold on. There he was, moving as fast as if he was on a spaceship. Stupid comparison, he had to be on one if he was out in space. But why was he? And how did he get that far in just one day? He was barely able to sense him!

Someone cleared their voice, breaking his concentration. He opened his eyes and was met with the worst possible omen of incoming disaster. The two Kaioshins had just appeared in the room and were staring straight at him.

Supreme Kai cleared his throat again. "Hello Goku".

He could have sworn that he sounded a lot colder than usual.

Old Kai said nothing.

"Er, hello, it's nic...".

"We need to have a word with you", a sweeping look at the room, "alone".

No, not cold at all. Icy was more like it.

"Wait a second! How dare you...".

Goku smiled subtly. Seeing his wife taking his defence erased the bitter taste he felt before. However...

"Chichi. Stop. It'll be fine".

She looked at him. No, that was not right, she gazed into his eyes and pulled out his whole soul, showing hers to him at the same time. They studied each other and understood.

_You're going to disappear again, aren't you? _

_No, I'm not. There may be problems, but I'm going to be back._

_Swear it, I dare you!_

_I swear, love, I swear._

She fell silent and gave him an imperious nod. He smiled reassuringly at her. She stood, turned and left the room. He watched her go and signalled to the others to follow her. Bulma looked like she wanted to argue, but Krillin dragged her out before she could get started. The door slammed shut.

Goku nodded, satisfied, and turned back to the two superior beings.

"So, what...".

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!".

The hero almost fell out of the bed, Old Kai's sudden outburst having taken him completely by surprise. He opened his mouth to reply, but the other wasn't done. Not by a long shot.

"YOU IDIOT! YOU IMPUDENT, BRAINDEAD CRETIN! DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'VE DONE? WHAT HORROR HAVE YOU UNLEASHED ON THE UNIVERSE? DON'T YOU HUMANS HAVE ANY SENSE OF SHAME? CAN'T YOU SEE THAT CERTAIN DOORS ARE NOT MEANT TO BE OPENED? ONE DAY YOU WILL PROBABLY PUSH THE BOTTON MARKED "APOCALYPSE" JUST TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS, AM I WRONG? AM I WRONG?".

Goku's ears were ringing. Never had he seen Old Kai so angry, not even when Vegeta told him in no uncertain terms that the first being, superior or not, who touched his wife would be obliterated. What was even more worrying was that so far Supreme Kai had done nothing to stop him. He caught the eye of the younger god and got an arched eyebrow for his troubles; however, that became a frown when it dawned on the divine being that Goku had no idea what they were talking about.

"Ah, if I may, sir", he smoothly interrupted the other before he could start another tirade. After getting a harsh nod for an answer, he concentrated on the Saiyan.

"Goku, do you know why we're here?".

"Er, because I've done something wrong?".

"Yes, even though you are not the only one at fault. It's...".

"THAT DAMN WOMAN, THAT IMPOSSIBLE WOMAN WHO CAN'T KEEP HER NOSE IN HER OWN REALITY...".

"Yes, sir, thank you. Goku, don't you think it was a bit imprudent for you and Bulma to try and visit another reality?".

The Saiyan nodded. So that's what it was all about!

"Oh yeah, it was, that's why Bulma asked me to go first, so if there was any trouble I could deal with it!".

Old Kai was incredulous. "Deal with it? _Deal with it_? Have you any idea what horrible creatures populate other realities? What horrors await in the dark for a fool like you to come and free them on an unsuspecting alternative world? And you think you can deal with them? Listen, you naïve boy, you are strong but you are not invincible! Some of those monsters could...".

"Yes, quite", sniffed Supreme Kai, none too fond of thinking of those... creatures.

Goku felt a bit castigated, but perked up immediately afterwards. "Okay, but there were no monsters in the reality I visited. Only Freeza, and yes, he came back with me, sorry about that, I got a bit confused, and my friends were worried about me so we sort of lost him, but there's nothing to worry about, I mean, it's just Freeza, it's no Majin Buu, so, yeah, nothing to worry about".

"Listen carefully, Goku", Supreme Kai chided, "The Freeza you brought here is not the same you fought against on Namek".

The Saiyan blinked. "How do you know that? He looked the same to me...".

"Well, when I first sensed a..."

"You sensed nothing, King Kai did", Old Kai immediately pointed out, "You were still fretting over why Lord Beerus decided to go back to sleep so soon".

The younger being looked sheepish. "It is quite disturbing since he normally... Well, back on topic. When King Kai sensed an incredible amount of energy being released in a far point of the North Galaxy, he checked what was going on. You can certainly imagine his distress when he realised the responsible was Freeza".

"What?! What did he do?!".

"He took a ship from one of his space bases, which he then destroyed. Three other planets were caught in the explosion".

Goku gazed at the bed covers. He could feel rage mounting, but it was rapidly being overpowered by guilt. If only he'd paid more attention. If only he hadn't blacked out. If only...

"There's another thing".

The Saiyan's eyes snapped back to the Kai.

"Vegeta appears to be with Freeza, probably against his will...".

"Probably?", Old Kai huffed, "Definitely against his will, unless the boy is into almost getting strangled to death. You saw the marks on his neck".

Goku gasped. "W...what? But... I sensed him... he was on a spaceship but... how did they get that far in so little time...".

"This Freeza can IT".

The hero cursed silently. "Right. I can still sense Vegeta, but I can't sense Freeza so I guess he knows how to hide his ki. Doesn't matter, I'll just IT there and...".

"NO!", screamed Old Kai, "You'll do nothing of the sort. We can't improvise, we need a strategy".

"But...".

"Listen, you idiot, I'll try to keep it simple. This Freeza managed to gain immortality on Namek and proceeded to kill you, Vegeta, your friends and the whole planet. He then murdered his brother and father, united their shares of the Cold Empire under his command and went to conquer the rest of the universe. Took him 400 years, but he managed it. The more he fought, the stronger he got and immortality did the rest. No one could stop him. And you and your nosy friend brought that... that thing in our reality! You...".

"I think Goku gets the picture", Supreme Kai interrupted drily.

The hero was speechless. "B.. but... how do you know...".

Supreme Kai sighed. "As I was saying, King Kai was about to contact you when he saw Freeza, but then thought it best to alert us. We checked with Yenma and he confirmed Freeza was still in HFIL. At that point, we had a talk with Baba and she told us what you did. It was a matter of ascertaining how grave was the situation. There are... ways to gain information from a different reality...".

"Ways open only to superior beings!".

"Yes sir. Think of it as an incredibly large library full of books. Each book tells the story of a reality".

Goku nodded. "Okay. So Freeza is the Lord of the universe. Why is he sticking around?".

The two gods stared at each other and the hero instantly knew that he was about to hear very bad news. Old Kai's face was Majin-Buu-is-going-to-blow-up-the-universe serious; Supreme Kai's lower lip was trembling.

"There... there is no empire. There is no empire left".

"What? Why? What happened?".

"It... it was... it...", Supreme Kai seemed to be on the verge of tears, "Oh gods... all those people...".

Old Kai put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "The empire was destroyed", he continued, "Every single person annihilated, every planet wiped out. Only stars and asteroids remain. There are no living creatures. It's a dead universe; endless, lifeless, cold space".

The words didn't hit immediately. To Goku, the universe was mostly a big black sky. Then he thought of Earth; of Namek; of Yardrat. He thought of the people who lived there, pictured their smiling faces. Imagined their cries of fear and pain and desperation as the sky of their homelands started to burn...

There were several minutes of silence.

"And Freeza survived because he is immortal?".

Old Kai lived up to his name, for the stare he fixed on the hero was very old indeed.

"He did it".

"Huh?".

"He destroyed his universe. His empire is gone because of him".

"...".

"Took him 400 years to create it, less than 100 to destroy it. That was 300 years ago. He's been alone ever since. Now I wouldn't bet on his sanity, if you know what I mean".

Goku stayed silent. Supreme Kai was crying.

The hero finally breached the silence, a strangely cold look on his face. "_Why_?".

Old Kai sighed. "Who knows? I guess... Well, he's lived all his life regarding others as insects. With that mindset, between killing an ant and murdering a person there's only a size difference".

* * *

_The solution was so ridiculously simple. He wanted his empire to be perfect, but wherever he looked there were hopelessly pathetic creatures with no real potential. He travelled the whole universe searching for people who could serve him, but it soon became clear that the only person worthy of being in his presence was him-self. He was immortal; he was invincible; he was a god. His feeble subjects disgusted him, they were no longer entertaining. The only one he needed was him-self._

_The happy epiphany got him started upon his new mission. He'd built an empire, the greatest there would ever be. Now, he needed to clean it. Throw away the trash, so to speak. And it was __easy__. Planets exploded one after the other, in the brightest fireworks display he'd ever witnessed. It was glorious. Afterwards, there was only perfection._

Freeza fell silent, still awed by the spectacle he'd described. If he closed his eyes, he could still hear the deafening explosions, the hot air blowing on his face, the cries... oh, the cries. They were the best part.

He opened his eyes again, fixing them upon his audience. Vegeta looked pale and vaguely ill, his dark eyes larger than normal. The child who'd just found out that he would be staying on an alien ship for a very long time and calling for mummy and daddy was not an option. Freeza smiled faintly at the memory. He couldn't figure out what he'd said to make the proud Saiyan look like the scared princeling he remembered, but it made him feel almost... affectionate.

To test that theory, he slowly put a comforting hand on the boy's forehead, tugging gently at the black strands. Vegeta's stare darted upwards to meet his, the fear in his eyes expertly disguised as rage. He nodded approvingly, still smiling tenderly at this little piece of him-self, this embodiment of one of the lives he lived, this headstrong, disobedient, passionate, lost-and-found fragment of his soul.

"Not showing your weakness", he murmured happily, "Just like I've taught you".

The boy flinched, trying to pull away, but his hair got caught in Freeza's suddenly tightly clenched hand. A scream escaped his lips. His body froze. The hand relaxed and started to caress his skull.

"It was your empire".

"Mmm?".

"It was your empire. The whole universe had to bow before you. Why kill them? Why kill them all?".

The Arcosian's head tilted to the side in confusion.

"I thought I'd be obvious to you, Vegeta", he declared earnestly, "You hate worms too, don' t you?".

**So, Freeza happened to his empire. Did I manage to surprise anybody or was it as clear as day from the start? Let me know what you think, I love reviews! Thanks for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi! Sorry for the wait, but life has been crazy so far and I only now managed to take some time away from work to write this chapter and catch up with my reading (on that note, may I just recommend Ryu no Ohi's "Savior of Demons"? Her Freeza is done wonderfuly!). I also wanted to thanks all the fantastic people who left me a review! You were all so kind! So, thank you!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

HFIL was in turmoil. It was hard to shake the cynical and cold-hearted residents of the dark realm, but recent events had taken a toll on them. They were very aware that the being they were facing was incredibly powerful and malicious, but things had gone too far; there he was, standing amid the sad remains of his latest crime, tail swishing behind his back and superior scowl firmly in place. Not even a hint of regret on his face.

"That's it!", screamed King Vegeta, "This is your last insult, you filthy lizard! Prepare to be obliterated! Elite Guard, to me!".

A battalion of armoured warriors immediately went to stand behind him, ready to die for their king's cause.

"Oh please", muttered a bored voice.

King Vegeta turned in its direction, furious. "What was that, insect?".

Cell sighed. "While I don't disagree with the sentiment behind your actions, I must really ask if you think your bunch of trained monkeys will make a difference against such an opponent".

The King visibly bristled at the insult. "Think you can do better, huh?".

"I certainly do. After all I am...".

"I swear to Kami, if you say perfect...".

"Perfectly entitled to express my perfectly sound opinions", Cell concluded, not missing a beat.

Dodoria frowned. "Perfectly entitled?", he mouthed questioningly to his brighter colleague.

Zarbon shrugged before turning to his former master. "My loyalty to you has always been unshakeable, my lord", he enunciated, "But, in face of the difficult situation we find ourselves in, I am forced to question your actions. Was doing what you did really wise, my lord?".

Everyone gasped and, as red eyes found gold ones, held their breath. A white index, glowing with blood-red light, rose in the air...

"What's going on here?".

The inhabitants of HFIL groaned. First a crazed Freeza, now an angry Pikkon. What a day.

"Hey, you! Put that finger down this instant if you don't want me to break it!".

The former Emperor glared at the righteous warrior. A few seconds passed; then, Freeza slowly lowered the appendage, turned and walked away, broken glass crunching under his feet.

Pikkon waited for the Arcosian to have completely disappeared from sight before turning towards Zarbon.

"What was that all about?".

The fair warrior made a face. "Well, we were simply watching the events regarding the come of the alternative Lord Freeza unfold. Everything was quite fine, until his Lordship's counterpart explained to the monkey...".

"Hey!".

"... to Vegeta what... what happened to his universe. At which point master Freeza... well...".

"Blew up the TV", Dodoria concluded.

Pikkon looked at the broken sphere. "Oh".

"Yes", Zarbon went on, "And, since that is the only remotely enjoyable activity we are granted, it is certainly understandable that many of us were a little... fazed".

Pikkon nodded. "Where is that maniac's family, anyway? You'd think his father would have stopped him...".

"His father and brother left way before Freeza's little episode", Cell informed him.

"What? Why?".

"Because...".

A loud crack echoed in the atmosphere, interrupting the android's answer. Somewhere in the desolate planes of HFIL, Freeza clutched his hand and screamed.

* * *

Freeza looked down at his broken hand, completely impassible. As he felt his bones rearrange and fix themselves under his skin, he glared at the furious Saiyan.

"That was totally uncalled for", he informed the Prince.

"Maybe the next time I tell you to remove your filthy hand from my hair, you'll heed my warning", Vegeta replied with a smugness he didn't really feel.

Freeza frowned. "I was merely trying to offer some comfort. You looked scared. You still do. Normally, I would congratulate you for using your brain, but in this case it wouldn't work well with my plans".

Vegeta arched an eyebrow. "Plans? What plans? You came to be here because Kakarott is an idiot...".

"Indeed", the tyrant chimed in, "But as you should know, provided all the years I spent shaping you weren't wasted, an expert strategist is always able to take every opportunity life grants them. As it happens, that stupid monkey provided me with an _invaluable_ opportunity and I intend to seize it fully".

"Shaping me? Shaping me to become what? Your future destroyer?".

"It wasn't you who killed me, dear, if memory serves. Not even in _this_ universe. Really, if you hadn't turned out so good an imitation I would have to consider those 25 years a waste of my time".

Vegeta felt fury mounting. An imitation? He, Vegeta, the Prince of all Saiyans, an imitation of the idiotic tyrant who couldn't even hold onto his empire?

"You're more delusional than I thought".

Dark lips thinned in a malicious smirk. "Don't be like that. I simply thought that you would adapt more easily to the life I had destined you to if you were as similar to me as possible. As it happens, I was a little too successful. I certainly didn't mean for you to have my same agenda".

"I didn't!".

"Oh? Immortality and being the absolute ruler of the universe? Sounds familiar, where have I heard it before...".

"I wanted to become immortal to get rid of you, you bastard! Ruling the universe was just an added bonus! We are nothing alike!".

"Is that so? I spent millions of credits trying to find a way to gain immortality, had special personnel tasked with that very endeavour and, after 150 years, no steps forward had been made. Then you, you, a mere boy who spent a meagre 25 years in my service, just went and came up with the perfect solution! I didn't know whether to be overjoyed or furious. And then...".

Vegeta felt his skin crawl as the Arcosian fixed a murderous stare on him and had to remind himself that he couldn't run and hide. A memory slowly surfaced in his mind; the agonisingly long night-hours spent sitting up in his bed, ears sharp and attentive to catch the movements of the monster that, he was sure, had taken residence into his closet. However, scared as he was, he never called his father to his aid; when staying vigilant in the complete darkness became too much, it was he alone who would gather enough courage to stand up, walk to his desk, light the candle resting there, pick it up and go explore the closet. He breathed deeply. Now the monster was in front of him and nor his father nor anyone else could help. No matter, he'd deal with it by himself, like he'd always done.

"And then, you turned traitorous. You disregarded my orders, you killed my men, you tried to kill me! How? Why? A hand does not revolt against the mind! What life could it hope for, without a brain to point it in the right direction? Not one worth to be lived, surely. And here you are, my mindless limb, living on a backwater mudball in the company of inferior creatures and the only Saiyan who doesn't enjoy violence. Why am I not surprised?".

Vegeta listened in complete disbelief, mouth hanging ridiculously open because words failed him completely. When his brain managed to get back on track, it did so explosively.

"HOW DARE YOU!", he screamed at the top of his lungs. "How dare you stand there and... and _judge_ me when you know nothing! I've done so much, accomplished so much...".

"Oh yes, the Super Saiyan, your precious legend. Well done, you".

"You have no idea what kind of enemies I've faced, the challenges I've overcome...".

Freeza made a dismissive gesture. "So? A couple more bodies to add to your pile. I hope that's not all you can boast about. Please, Vegeta, tell me something I don't know".

Vegeta did.

* * *

Goku stared at the odd couple. Beside him, Old Kai and Supreme Kai stood at attention. Goku stared some more. Finally, he cautiously bowed his head to whisper into Supreme Kai's ear.

"Could you explain to me what a "strategy" is? Because I obviously got the wrong meaning when you first mentioned our needing one".

The god scrutinised Goku's face, looking for traces of sarcasm; honest dark eyes stared back at him, giving nothing away. Not for the first time, Superior Kai wondered whether the Saiyan's so called stupidity was just a travesty of genius.

"It's not that bad a plan!", he defended.

Goku appeared confused. "I never said it was".

"No, but you're thinking it", Supreme Kai didn't say. A god has to keep a shadow of dignity.

The two figures standing a few feet away were about to finish whatever discussion they were having.

"Don't do it again!", one said in an oddly petulant voice, "I still have a killer headache because of you!".

The other gave his companion a wide smile. "No promises".

The first harrumphed before turning to the little group. "Now that that's taken care of, I think we can concentrate on more interesting matters. You said that an incredibly strong opponent has finally come along, right?".

Old Kai nodded. He was being unaccountably quiet.

"Excellent! I've been waiting for a worthy adversary since... wait, haven't we met before?".

The last remark was directed at Goku, who bashfully put a hand behind his head.

"Hehe, yes, yes we did. Nice to see you awake again... er... sir".

Lord Beerus studied the creature. He vaguely remembered him from somewhere, but memory had never been his strong suit; he had Whis around for that sort of thing. Sure enough, the fair god came to his help.

"This is Son Goku, my lord. He is, or rather was, the Saiyan God you fought against three years ago".

"Oh right! A somewhat interesting match, if I recall correctly. What brings you here?".

Supreme Kai thought it best to intervene before Goku could say something stupid and alienate the unpredictable god.

"Ah, my lord, our invitation was extended to him because...".

Supreme Kai thought it best to fall silent before Lord Beerus terrifying gaze, lest he say something stupid and alienate the unpredictable god.

"I wasn't talking to you", Lord Beerus informed him icily. "It was very rude of you to answer in Gordon's stead...".

"His name is Goku".

"Whatever Whis. I should teach you a lesson, Kai".

Whis rolled his eyes and brandished his sceptre with authority.

"We really don't have time for this. I have already seen what happened and can assure you, my lord, that your hands will be full enough with Freeza without having to punish these silly beings".

Now, _that _grabbed Lord Beerus' attention.

"Freeza? Freeza is still alive? You said he'd been defeated! Why did you lie to me? You know I wanted ...".

Whis sighed, a resigned look plastered on his delicate features.

"I did not lie to you. The Freeza I am concerned about comes from a different reality,where he was granted immortality and became the strongest being alive. By default. The one you're thinking of was defeated by Son Goku".

"What?! Lord Freeza, defeated by this boy? But...".

"We have gone over this already. I know it's not your fault, but you really should try and remember".

Goku frowned. "That wasn't very nice", he once again whispered into Supreme Kai's ear, "Aren't they supposed to be friends?".

Whis composed himself. "I know what Freeza did, I have seen it", he stated calmly, "I also know where he is heading and to what purpose. He must be stopped at all costs before he reaches his goal".

Goku nodded. "We will fight him!", he said with conviction.

Whis smiled. "Yes, we will".

* * *

"Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid...".

The chanting in Vegeta's head became louder with every second Freeza stayed silent. On the upside, he'd definitely managed to wipe the smirk off the monster's ugly face; on the downside, in doing so he'd probably jeopardised the safety of his wife and son.

"... destroying was all I was good for too, until...".

What possessed him to make him think telling the tyrant of his family was a good idea?

"... annoying, impudent, crazy and vulgar but also...".

Kami helped him, if he dared lay a finger on his Bulma...

"... became a Super Saiyan at eight, eight! By the way, do you know who actually killed you in this reality? It wasn't Kakarott, it was...".

He'd better not even think of touching Trunks, or...

"... managed to rebuilt my life, to _create _something for a change! You, on the other hand...".

Goddammit, why wasn't he saying anything?

"... You are no god, you are not perfect, you're simply unchanging! Unchanging and alone, forever!".

He was so tired of his superior smirks, his mocking remarks, always ridiculing everything he'd ever done, belittling him time and time again. What he was really tired of, though, was his being so affected by the monster's opinion. Why did he care? Freeza was nothing! Was it worth it, to put his family in danger just to get one over him? He only hated himself more when a tiny part of his brain whispered a joyful "yes".

"Did I really win this round?", he wondered silently, "Does he even care? Why isn't he mocking me, why isn't he calling me weak? Why isn't he...".

Lord Freeza nodded to himself. That sealed it.

The diminutive Emperor turned and strolled to the control panel; after observing it for a while, he daintily pushed a button. A panel slid back noiselessly, revealing a bottle filled with blood-red liquid and a couple of delicate crystal goblets. Lord Freeza eyed the bottle critically, pulled it open with practised ease and sniffed the cork.

"Perfect", he stated happily, "It is most satisfying to ascertain that my counterpart and I have the same good taste". He then took out the goblets and filled them with liquor. He finally turned towards the Prince.

"Such astounding news! A partner and a child! I offer you my sincerest congratulations!". He raised the two glasses, offering one to the dumbfounded Saiyan, "Will you share a toast with me to celebrate your good fortune?".

Vegeta was watching the goblet as if it might bite him if he got too close, body language suggesting that a trip all the way to HFIL would be preferable to the mere four steps it took to reach the tyrant. Too bad Freeza had more than 25 years of experience in manipulating prideful Saiyans. He just had to tilt his head _this_ way, raise an eyebrow like _that,_ smirk _this _way and watch them bristle and sputter as the words "If you can, filthy monkey" whispered in their mind, unsaid.

Vegeta didn't disappoint, advancing towards him as if heading to his coronation. The Prince took the proffered glass with regal disdain and, had Freeza been a lesser creature, he might have felt ashamed of daring to offer anything but ambrosia to this archetype of royalty.

Freeza grinned. Vegeta raised the goblet in toast. He never knew what hit him.

**I hope that was worth the wait! Thanks for reading and let me know what you think!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Warning: in the first part of the chapter, Freeza takes up the family business again. There is nothing too graphic, but it's not pretty.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

_Slash. Bang. Gurgle._

_Blood. So much blood. Everywhere. How he'd missed social interactions._

_He giggled as the insects tried to stand up to him and laughed harder as some of them tried to run away with the maggots they called children. He deftly caught up with them, his superior speed making him as invisible and malign as a spectre. He grabbed one's head and pulled. _

_Pop. Gurgle._

_Violet blood spilt on white skin. Beautiful. More. Slash. There goes a ribcage, where's the heart?_

_Delicious. More. He reached out for another green thing, black nails closing effortlessly around a tender neck. _

"_Nooooo! Let him go! Let him go!"._

_Do shut up. Bang! Cinders. The smell of ashes was comfortingly familiar. He wanted more of that too. Couldn't get too carried away, though, he couldn't destroy the planet. Blood. Blood was safer. Yes. More._

_He sensed energies, powerlevels still unsullied, still calm, still ignorant. He needed to change that. Easy as IT. Screams, sweet terrified screams. So, they remembered him too. Good. He grabbed the closest one and his hand passed the creature from part to part as if it was butter. Blood. So warm. More. _

_He had to be fast. Couldn't let them alert the others of the danger. Or give them time to hide their treasure. No, time was of essence. Pity._

_An hour later they were all gone; night had fallen on the valleys of their planet. A flash of light and an enormous form filled the sky. He still remembered the words, all he needed was a minor adjustment. There, done. He'd just made life even more entertaining. _

_One last thing. A red glow. The form was gone in a second with a pained cry and light was made once again. _

_Lord Freeza nodded to himself, while locking onto the energy floating around the universe aboard his ship. A gust of wind swept the blue grass as he disappeared, leaving no witnesses on the silent planet._

* * *

Cold. In retrospect, that's what woke him up. He felt cold and his neck was stiff. Then he opened his eyes, realised he'd fallen asleep on the floor and panicked. What happened? Why did he fall asleep? How long he'd been out? Where was...

"Oh, you're up. Capital! I was starting to get worried".

Freeza entered the room, smiling brightly. It was an odd sight: the smile painted on his lips didn't reach his eyes, the exclamation mark that was obviously included into the sentence didn't reach his voice. It was warmth expressed by someone who'd only had the feeling described to him. He would know.

"What happened? What did you do?!".

Freeza actually looked offended. "Do? _Do_? I did nothing, dear boy. It's hardly my fault your alcohol tolerance is so low".

Vegeta turned to the control panel, absolutely furious; surprise washed over him when he caught sight of the bottle, almost empty, and the goblets, with their bottoms still sullied by drops of wine. He absent-mindedly licked his lips; his tongue and mouth tasted like wine. He didn't remember drinking any.

The Arcosian's eyes followed his every moment, smirk hid behind a white hand. When Vegeta faced him again, the disgruntled mask was firmly in place.

"What did you do?", the Prince asked in a low voice.

The tyrant gave a fatigued sigh. "Really, must you blame me for your every little failure? I did nothing. Blame my wine if you must".

"You are lying!".

"Of course I am", Freeza answered off-handedly, already turning away. "Now get ready, our final destination approaches".

Vegeta's train of thought was immediately derailed. "Final destination? Where are we?".

The Arcosian smirked, wordlessly pointing at a round window. The Prince silently cursed; he was NOT running to the window like a curious child. He nonchalantly approached it but his act was up almost immediately, for he couldn't help but gasp when he saw what awaited them outside.

He'd have to call it a planet for lack of a better word, but it didn't look like one. It was huge, triangular in shape, a gargantuan inverted pyramid floating into space. He couldn't say what it was made of, its colour oddly metallic, but he could see it was filled with greenery in between spaces and on its top loomed a giant tree. It was punctuated by spots that could very well have been buildings. What was this place?

He felt a presence beside him and shot a wary look to his tormentor. He was surveying the view critically, eyebrow raised and hand massaging his chin.

"No, no, no", he finally murmured, "I hate it. A redecoration is in order".

The Prince crossed his arms on his chest and adopted his usual scowl, trying to hide his confusion.

Freeza sauntered to the control panel.

"_Landing sequence initialised. ETA 10 minutes"._

The Saiyan carefully studied Freeza. He kept wondering how long he'd been out and what had the monster done during that time. They were light-years away from Earth, true, but it meant nothing to someone who could use IT. What if...

"Do no fret, your companion and child are in perfect health. Well", the Arcosian amended, "I did nothing to them".

Vegeta frowned. "Do you really expect me to take your words at face value?".

Freeza smiled patiently. "If their safety concerns you so much, why tell me about them? Really, were I your spouse, I would consider it an attempt on my life".

The Prince sputtered. "Don't you dare...".

The tyrant chuckled. "Do relax, I don't plan on harming them. In the long run, they are absolutely irrelevant".

"What the hell does that mean?".

Freeza's amused smile morphed into something vicious. "Oh, you will find out. In the meantime, I promise you will definitely see your little family again. For every day until the end of their miserable, natural lives".

"What?!".

"_Landing in 10... 9... 8..."._

* * *

Goku jumped. "I can't sense Vegeta anymore!".

Supreme Kai, momentarily distracted from watching the ship landing, looked at the Saiyan. "What?".

Goku was trembling with fury... and guilt.

"I can't sense him! His powerlevel has just disappeared! Damn it! I knew I should have got him out of that blasted ship when I still could! Why did you make me wait?! I could have ITed him to safety...".

"Have you forgotten Freeza can use IT too? He would have caught up with you...".

"I could have told Vegeta to hide his powerlevel...".

Then, there was no more time for talking because the ship landed. When the dust cleared, the vessel hold door opened and down came Freeza, followed by an apparently healthy Prince.

Lord Beerus grinned, Whis made a face, the two Kaioshins exchanged worried glances, Goku looked dumbfounded, Vegeta's eyes widened in understanding and Lord Freeza slowly made his way to the silent group. Beerus' smile widened when his long-awaited adversary finally came to stand in front of him.

"We meet again Freeza! I must say I'm pleased to see you are not dead after all!".

Whis sighed, shaking his head.

Freeza's face held a blank look Vegeta had come to recognise. "This is Lord Beerus, the God of Destruction", he explained without thinking.

The tyrant blinked, studying the creature incredulously.

Beerus huffed. "Of course I am. Don't you remember me?".

Freeza put on a somewhat pleasant smile. "You must forgive me, I'm afraid we haven't been properly introduced. While I _am _Lord Freeza, I am not a native of this reality. You probably met my counterpart, as I have met yours in my own world. She looked quite different, though".

"Oh? You have met one of the other Gods, er, Goddesses of Destruction?".

"Indeed. To be more precise, I destroyed the Goddess of Destruction in my universe. I don't care much for competition".

The Kaioshins gasped.

"To go back to the reason for my dropping here unannounced, I must confess I like this reality and I intend to stay. So, to put it simply, I challenge you for the control of this universe. When I win, it will pass under my jurisdiction and you will be... well, dead".

"You mean, _if_ you win", Lord Beerus snapped.

Freeza smirked. "My mistake".

"Hold on!", Vegeta suddenly screamed, "You killed the Goddess of Destruction in your reality? This means... you... you are...".

The Arcosian turned in his direction. "Why, one of the twelve Gods of Destruction. Don't tell me this surprises you. After all, I did say I was a god".

Goku was shocked; he'd never seen Vegeta trembling so much. Lord Beerus, however, was not so easily sidetracked. "I agree with your terms. Naturally, _when_ I win you'll accept your fate without complaining".

Freeza's sadistic smile stayed on the Prince. "Naturally".

Beerus nodded. "Very well. Let's begin".

Whis took a step back, the Kaioshins took several and Goku tried to catch Vegeta's stare. Lord Beerus noticed. "This is not your battle, Saiyan God. Don't hamper me. Go".

The Arcosian actually laughed at that. "Saiyan God? Oh my. Beaten yet again, hey Vegeta?".

The Prince was positively shaking and Goku tried to intervene. "It's not like that...".

"SHUT UP!", Vegeta screamed. "I don't care what you think! I hope he squashes you like an insect!".

Freeza chuckled, giving him a gentle nudge with his tail; Vegeta had to take three steps back in order to regain his balance.

"So", the tyrant smiled and bowed courteously to his adversary, "Shall we begin?".

Beerus smirked. They both disappeared from view.

The fight was... unreal. Goku remembered fighting Freeza all those years ago, how he'd been amazed at his incredible speed and strength; that was nothing compared to this. Where Beerus seemed to dance on the battleground, the Arcosian was a veritable ghost.

Beerus attacked first, appearing out of thin air and aiming a powerful kick at his opponent's head. However, Freeza deftly grabbed the limb and pulled the god towards him, attempting to slash his throat open with hard black nails. Beerus punched the hand away, gave a sudden somersault and threw his attacker off, but Freeza never hit the ground. He was back in the air in less than a second, hands outstretched and shining violet as he prepared an attack. Twin blasts shot up parallel and Beerus, trying to avoid being caught in the middle, soared downward. Freeza was waiting for him; they met in mid-air and the tyrant's tail immediately started to relentlessly slash at Beerus, trapping him in a dodging routine. In the meanwhile, two white fingers were shining with concentrated energy, unnoticed. When the assault suddenly stopped, Beerus only had a fragment of time to avoid being cut in half by a mezzaluna blast.

Spinning in mid-air, the feline shot an energy ball at the Arcosian but the latter's diminutive height played in his favour. The blast passed over his head as he flew at full speed against Beerus. The god raised his hand to strike him, but he didn't expect Freeza to suddenly curl up on himself and extend his tail to its maximum length. For Beerus, it was like being hit by a shuriken: too fast to dodge and incredibly painful. He was sent flying and, while he desperately tried to regain his senses, a three-thumbed foot struck his back with bruising force. As he hit the ground, raising a gigantic cloud of dust, he didn't quite manage to bit down a scream.

Freeza glided gently and hovered over the awed group like a bad dream. Beerus silently got up and dusted himself off, a serious expression making its way to his face as he turned to his opponent. Lord Freeza answering smile was blindingly supercilious. He jerked his head upward in an obvious invitation.

Whis frowned and gripped his sceptre more tightly.

**Any thoughts on the matter? Do let me know! In the meantime, thank you for reading!**


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